Spindle drive arrangement for textile machines



March 20, 1962 J. STEICHELE ETAL 3,025,658

SPINDLE'DRIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed June 25, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 1 March 20, 1962 J. STEICHELE ETAL 3,025,658

SPINDLE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed June 23, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSI d w M 0 kg e a ,m a w 1- w W 5 5 M Yvm.m B

March 20, 1962 J. STEICHELE ETAL 3,

SPINDLE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed June 23, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3,025,653 SPINDLE DRIVE GEMENT FGR TEXTILE MACHINES Joseph Steichele, Stuttgart-Weilimdorf, Giinther Wendel, Leonberg, Wurttemberg, and Karl-Heinz Breitenbach, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany, assignors to SKF Kugellagerfabriken Gesellschaft mit heschriinliter Haftnng, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany, a German company Filed June 23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,365 Claims priority, application Germany July 7, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 57-ilt)5) The present invention relates to a drive arrangement for textile machines, and more particularly to a drive arrangement for the spindles of spinning or twisting frames and the like. In its more specific aspects, this invention is concerned with a spinning machine and the like in which a main drive shaft extends along the length of the machine frame, a plurality of spindles is aligned longitudinally on the frame, and each spindle is driven by means of a belt trained over a drive wheel fixedly mounted on the drive shaft, and over an idler roller.

Other known drive arrangements for spinning machine spindles and the like provide a single drive belt for actuating movement of several adjacent spindles. Belt spindle drives have in common the desirable feature of yielding under excessively increased thread tension, but they are subject to slippage and flutter.

Gear drives, worm drives, and friction wheel drives have been previously proposed for the purpose of avoiding slippage and flutter. The first two have not found wide acceptance because of the relatively high first cost of the necessary apparatus. Friction wheel drives are not subject to this short-coming and they have the added advantage of requiring very little space which is of great importance in a spinning frame. The desirable yielding properties of the belt drive are entirely lost in a gear or worm drive, and are not available to the desired extent in a friction wheel drive which of necessity relies on a relatively small frictional contact area between a driving and a driven wheel for transmitting movement to the spindle, and which must employ rather high contact pressures to avoid flutter.

It is a general object of the invention to combine the advantages of the afore-described drive arrangements while avoiding their disadvantages.

More specifically, this invention aims at providing a spindle drive arrangement which requires but a minimum of space, is not subject to undesired slip and flutter in transmitting motion from a drive shaft to the spindle, yet drives the spindle in such a manner as to yield under excess resistance.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the first cost of spindle drive arrangements, and to make their assembly and disassembly for erection and maintenance purposes very easy and simple.

A further object is the provision of a spindle drive ar rangement which requires but very few bearings, and thus to reduce the number of elements which require frequent attention of maintenance personnel.

Yet another object is a drive arrangement which has inherently low friction losses, and requires relatively little power for driving the spindles.

With these and other objects in view, we provide a pressure roller for cooperation with a drive wheel and the whorl portion of a spindle. A continuous belt is trained over the whorl portion of the spindle and over the pressure roller. The pressure roller is urged into engagement with the drive wheel so that movement of the latter is transmitted to the spindle by the belt.

Depending on the specific arrangement of the belt and the pressure roller, either the belt or the pressure roller itself may be in direct contact with the drive wheel. These two arrangements differ under otherwise identical conditions in the magnitude of the forces that have to be applied to the spindle in order to induce yielding of the motion transmitting train, and each has specific advantages over the other under different conditions of operation.

When the belt is interposed between the faces of the pressure roller and of the drive wheel, we prefer to provide a stop which limits movement of the pressure roller toward the drive wheel in such a manner that the pressure roller cannot move into direct contact with the drive wheel in a sudden manner in the event of belt breakage.

Because of the spaced arrangement of the spindle and the drive wheel of some embodiments of the invention on the frame of the spinning machine and the like, movement of the pressure roller toward the drive wheel will also cause movement of the pressure roller away from the spindle, and the belt is held taut by the spring or other source of pressure which urges the pressure roller into engagement with the drive wheel. The force required for causing the motion transmitting train to yield can be adjusted by varying the tension of the spring or other pressure source which acts on the pressure roller.

When the belt is interposed between the pressure roller and the drive wheel for simultaneous frictional engagement of the same longitudinal element of the belt by both the roller and the wheel, the yielding force can be ad justed very conveniently by the afore-mentioned adjustable stop. By limiting the minimum thickness to which the resilient belt may be compressed between the wheel and the pressure roller the stop also limits the force which may be transmitted thereby without slippage.

The maximum compression to which the belt may be subjected can further be limited by providing the pressure roller with a groove flanked by roller portions of larger diameter in such a manner that the belt is at least partly engaged in the groove. It has been found that such an arrangement greatly extends the useful life of the belt.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the disclosure is made in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side-elevational view, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a modification of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 in plan view;

FIG. 4 shows an additional embodiment of the invention in plan View;

FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of yet another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a. modification of the apparatus of FIG. 5 in top plan view;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side-elevational sectional view of the device of FIG. 7, the section being taken on the line VIIIVIII;

FIG. 9 illustrates a modification of the apparatus of PK 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of another invention; and

FIG. 11 shows the apparatus of FIG. 10 in side-elevational section on the line XlXI.

Referring now to the drawing in more detail, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a portion of a spinning frame equipped with the spindle drive arrangement of the invention. The conventional elements of the spinning machine are shown only to the extent that they cooperate directly with the drive arrangement of the invention.

embodiment of the The fly frame 1 carries a row of uniformly spaced tubular spindle bearing housings 2 of which but one is shown in the drawing. The housing 2 is secured to the frame 1 by means of a tightening nut 3 in the usual manner, and holds the rotatable spindle 4 which has a whorl portion 5 adjacent the bearing housing 2. A drive belt 6 is trained about the whorl portion 5 of the spindle 4 and over a pressure roller 7. The latter holds the belt 6 taut and presses it against a drive wheel 8 which is fixedly fastened on the main drive shaft 9 of the machine. It will be understood that there are as many fixedly mounted drive Wheels 8 as there are spindles 4, and that power is transmitted from each wheel to the coordinated spindle by an individual belt and pressure roller.

As best seen from FIG. 1, the pressure roller 7 is rotatably mounted on a rocker arm 10 which is secured to the frame of the spinning machine by means of a stationary pivot pin 11. A spring 12 has one end fastened to the machine frame whereas the other end is attached to the rocker arm 10 to urge the roller 7 into engagement with the drive wheel 8, whereby the resilient belt 6 is compressed between the cooperating faces of the wheel 8 and the roller 7.

To provide compensation of the drive arrangement for different lengths of belt 6, or for stretching of the belt 6 during use, the pivot pin 11 engages a longitudinal slot of the arm 10 and permits some movement of the arm in a longitudinal direction while preventing any lateral movement, that is, movement in the direction of the axis of the roller 7. This arrangement assures transmission of the movement of the wheel 8 to the spindle 7 without slippage and flutter.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in plan view in FIG. 3 combines two units of the drive arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in such a manner that two pressure rollers are mounted on a common shaft 13 a central portion of which is journaled in a bracket 111a which is acted upon by a spring 12 to ensure frictional cooperation between the pressure rollers and the coordinated belts and drive wheels. The rollers are mounted on the free terminal portions of the shaft 13 in such a manner that the belts 6 may be readily removed or replaced in the same manner as in the device of FIG. 2, the roller 17 of which is also mounted on the free terminal portion of the shaft which holds it to the rocker arm 10.

A different embodiment of the invention is illustrated in plan view in FIG. 4. Whereas in the devices of FIGS. 1 to 3, the belt 6 was compressed between the drive wheel 8 and the pressure roller 7, the pressure roller 14 of the modified device of FIG. 4 has a recessed central portion of smaller diameter axially flanked by two collars 15 of larger diameter and provided with friction facings for contact with the wheel 8. The belt 6 hugs the recessed portion of the roller 14 between the collars 15, and is protected by the latter against compression between the wheel and the roller.

The pressure roller 14 is mounted on the arm 10 and is movable therewith in a direction radial of the shaft 9 only, but cannot move in an axial direction. The arm 10 is spring-biased in the same manner as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, but the spring has been omitted from FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity.

In the embodiments of the invention described above, the drive wheel and the pressure roller rotate about parallel axes, and their cylindrical faces are in engagement either directly, or by way of an interposed belt. The spindle '4 rotates about an axis which is perpendicular to the wheel and roller axes, and the belt is twisted between the pressure roller and the whorl portion of the spindle.

To hold it in proper axial alignment on the whorl portion and the pressure roller, the whorl portion of the spindle 4 in FIGS. 1 to 4 is barrel shaped so that the fiat belt 6 will automatically ride on that axial section of the whorl which has the largest diameter. The recessed portion of the pressure roller 14 matches the contour of 4 the belt and holds it in alignment in the device shown in FIG. 4.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 in side elevation and plan view respectively are designed for optimum utilization of available space. The spindle bearing housing is secured to the fly frame 1 by means of its foot portion 2 so that the main drive shaft 9 may pass close to the housing. The housing holds a rotatable spindle 4' equipped with a whorl portion 5 over which the drive belt 6 is trained. The belt is driven by a pressure roller 16 which is rotatable about an axis parallel to the drive shaft axis, and perpendicular to the spindle axis.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pressure roller 16 is of elongated, stepped cylindrical shape. It is rotatably mounted in the rocker arm 19 which is spring loaded in the aforedescribed manner. The free'end of the roller 16 is of smaller diameter and carries the belt 6 whereas the inner axial end portion 16' is of larger diameter and is equipped with a facing of material having a high coefiicient of friction for engagement with the drive wheel 8.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from that shown in FIG. 6 in the floating mounting of the pressure roller 16 which is of the same shape as that illustrated in FIG. 6. The axial portion of smaller diameter 15 mounted adjacent a free end of one of two hingedly connected links 10' whereas the free end of the other link It) is pivoted to a stationary pin 11. A spring 12 acts on the hinged joint between the links 10 to urge the pressure roller 16 into engagement of its larger section 16' with the wheel 8, and simultaneously to tension the belt 6. Contrary to the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the preceding figures, the whorl portion 5 of the spindle 4 is of substantially cylindrical shape and permits axial shifting of the belt 6 over a distance approximately equal to the diameter of the pressure roller portion 16 which is in contact With the belt 6. The effective axial length is thus substantially equal to the effective diameter of the pressure roller and permits reversal of the direction of belt movement if desired.

FIG. 7 shows a section of a spinning machine including three spindles with the associated drive elements. Each spindle is driven by a belt 17 of circular cross section which engages matingly shaped grooves in the coordinated spindle whorl 18 and the pressure roller 19. Contrary to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive, the belts 17 move in uniform paths about the axes of the spindle whorls 18 and the pressure rollers 19 which are parallel. Each pressure roller is supported by a bracket 20 which is movable both axially and radially relative to the shaft 9 and to the wheel 8 as indicated by arrows A and B respectively. The dimensions of the belt 17 and of the groove in the pressure roller 19 are such that the belt partially projects from the groove and is urged into frictional engagement with the flat radial face of the Wheel 8 by a leaf spring 21 best seen from FIG. 8 which shows the apparatus of FIG. 7 in side-elevational sectional view. The spring also urges the roller 19 away from the whorl 18 and holds the belt 17 taut.

The bracket 20 and the spring 21 are mounted on a stationary member 22 of the machine frame which ex-- tends longitudinally of the machine substantially parallel to the fly frame 1 and the main drive shaft 9. A stop 23- the position of which is adjustable is mounted on thestationary member 22 and limits movement of the bracket 20 in a direction toward the drive wheel 8 thus preventing the pressure roller 19 from being forced against the face of the drive wheel if the belt should snap. Adjustment of the axial position of the stop 23 also limits the extent to which the resilient belt 17 may be compressed between the wheel 8 and the pressure roller 19 whereby the amount of force transmitted by the drive engagement is limited.

FIG. 9 shows an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 8, but employing a bracket 20a of spring metal one end of which is fastened to the fly frame 1 while the free end carries the pressure roller 19 and urges it against the flat face of the wheel 8.

The modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. and 11 in plan view and in sectional side elevation respectively employs a single round belt 17 for driving two spindles 4 equipped with grooved whorls 18. Two such twin spindle units are shown in FIG. 10, and one is seen in section in FIG. 11.

The belt 17' is also trained over a pressure roller 24 which engages the flat face of a drive wheel 8, and over an idler roller 25 which is rotatable on the frame of the spinning machine about an axis which is substantially parallel to the axes of the spindles 4 and of the pressure roller 24, and to the fiat face of the drive Wheel 8.

The pressure roller 24 is rotatably mounted on a bracket 20' which is movable toward and away from the fiat face of the wheel 8 only. It is urged against the wheel face by a spring member 21' and prevented from actually touching the wheel face by a stop 23' in the manner discussed in more detail above in connection with the device shown in FIG. 8. The belt 17 is tensioned by the mounting arrangement of the idler 25 which includes an idler bracket resiliently mounted on the rail 22' and urged to pivot in a direction away from the spindle 4 by a compression spring 27.

The arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 permits practically independent adjustment of the belt tension and of the contact pressure between the belt and the face of the drive wheel by suitable selection of the springs 21' and 27. Further control over the operating characteristics of the spindle drive arrangement shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is possible by varying the position and size of the stop 23.

Many modifications and variations of the drive arrangement of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art on the basis of this disclosure. It is apparent that the relative positions and dimensional relationships of the several elements of the drive arrangements may be altered within wide limits without departing from the spirit of this invention. The number of idlers and spindles cooperating with a single drive wheel and pressure roller may be varied almost at will to suit specific operating conditions subject to the limitations imposed by the magnitude of the forces which are to be transmitted by the drive arrangement.

The spindle drive arrangement of the invention combines the reliable power transmission characteristics of the known friction wheel drive with the superior yielding qualities of a belt-equipped spindle drive without showing the inherent disadvantages of either drive system. The drive arrangement has few moving parts supported in a small number of bearings. It is small in size, relatively inexpensive in first cost, and simple and inexpensive to operate and to maintain. While belt replacements are relatively infrequent, they can be quickly and easily performed.

It should be understood, of course, the foregoing disclosure relates only to preferred embodiments of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a spindle rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindle having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller; continuous belt means trained over sad whorl portion and said pressure roller; and means for urging said pressure roller into axial engagement of said belt means with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means.

2. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a spindle rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindle having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller; continuous belt means trained over said whorl portion and said pressure roller; resilient means for urging said pressure roller to move into axial engagement with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter'is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means; and adjustable stop means for arresting movement of said pressure roller at a predetermined distance from said wheel.

3. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a spindle rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindle having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; an elongated bracket memer having one end portion pivoted to said support and another free end portion; a pressure roller on said free end portion; continuous belt means trained over said whorl portion and said pressure roller; and means for urging said pressure roller on said bracket member into axial engagement of said belt means with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means.

4-. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a spindle rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindle having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller; continuout belt means trained over said whorl portion and said pressure roller, at least the portion of said belt means facing radially outward from said pressure roller being of convexly arcuate cross-section; and means for urging said pressure roller into axial engagement of said belt means portion with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means.

5. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a spindle rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindle having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said drive wheel; continuous belt means trained over said whorl portion and said pressure roller; and means for urging said pressure roller into axial engagement of said belt means with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means.

6. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a spindle rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindle having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller; continuous belt means trained over said whorl portion and said pressure roller; said belt means being of at least partially arcuate cross section, and said pressure roller being formed with a mating circumferential groove receiving said belt means; and means for urging said pressure roller into axial engagement of said belt means with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means.

7. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; a drive wheel and a plurality of spindles rotatable about respective axes on said support, said spindles each having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller; continuous belt means trained over said whorl portions and said pressure roller; and means for urging said pressure roller into axial engagement of said belt means with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindles by said belt means.

8. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprsing a support; a drive wheel rotatable about an axis on said support; a plurality of spindles rotatable on said support about respective parallel axes substantially perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, said spindles each having a whorl portion, and said wheel having a radially extending face; a pressure roller; an idler roller, said rollers being rotatable about respective spaced axes substantially parallel to the axes of said spindles; continuous belt means trained over said whorl portions and said rollers; means for urging said pressure roller to move in a predetermined direction for engagement of the belt means with said wheel face, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to said spindle by said belt means; and means for urging said idler roller 'to move transversely of said predetermined direction for tightening said belt means.

9. A drive arrangement for a spinning machine and the like, comprising a support; an elongated drive shaft rotatably mounted on said support; a plurality of spindles rotatable on said support about respective axes spaced from each other in the direction of elongation of said shaft, each of said spindles having a whorl portion; a plurality of drive wheels mounted on said shaft in axially spaced relationship, each of said drive wheels having a radially extending friction face; a plurality of pressure rollers rotatable about respective axes transverse of the axis of said drive shaft; a plurality of belt means, each of said belt means being trained over respective ones of said whorl portions and said pressure rollers in a continuous loop, said drive shaft being outside said loop; and means for urging each of said pressure rollers to move into engagement with the friction face of a respective drive wheel, whereby the movement of the latter is transmitted to a respective spindle by one of said belt means.

10. A drive arrangement as set forth in claim 9, wherein each of said belt means has a first, arcuate portion trained over the respective whorl portion, a second, substantially straight portion, a third, arcuate portion trained over said pressure roller, and a fourth substantially straight portion, said first, second, third, and fourth portions being con-tiguously consecutive in this order.

11. A drive arrangement as set forth in claim 10, wherein said fourth and said first portions are contiguously consecutive.

12. A drive arrangement as set forth in claim 10, further including an additional spindle associated with each of said belt means and having a whorl portion, said belt means each having a fifth portion connecting said first and fourth portions and trained over the whorl portion of the associated additional belt means.

13. A drive arrangement as set forth in claim 12, further including an idler roller associated with each of said belt means, said fifth portion being additionally trained over said idler roller; and means for moving said idler roller in a direction away from at least one of said first, second, and third portions for tensioning said belt means.

14. A drive arrangement as set forth in claim 13, wherein said spindles, said pressure roller, and said idler rollers are rotatable about respective axes transverse of the axis of said drive shaft.

15. A drive arrangement as set forth in claim 9, further including stop means for arresting movement'of said pressure rollers toward the respective friction faces at a predetermined distance therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,145 Howard Feb. 28, 1871 2,869,317 Schurr et al Ian. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 718,717 France Nov. 5, 1931 304,061 Great Britain Ian. 17, 1929 

